In Depth

A teen appearing in court for an initial hearing on a battery charge jumped over a railing at the Hendricks County courthouse
this morning, falling 31 feet.

The 16-year-old male was being escorted by two employees of the Sugar Creek Juvenile Justice Center and was in handcuffs
and leg shackles when he fled and jumped, said Lt. Jim Yetter with the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department. Sugar
Creek Juvenile Justice Center, in Ladoga, opened in May and is owned and managed by CMC Ownership LLC.

A statement from Sugar Creek released this afternoon said the teen was being transported by employees "consistent with
operational procedure." The center also said a preliminary investigation indicated "there was likely nothing which
our staff could have done to prevent this tragedy from occurring."

The teen is at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis in critical condition.